Vijayawada-Amaravati hyperloop in Andhra might just be country's first

Hyperloop involves a futuristic and technology-intensive transportation system that propels a pod-like vehicle through a near-vacuum tube at nearly 1,100 km per hour

India's first Hyperloop transportation facility is likely to be introduced in Andhra Pradesh, connecting Vijayawada with upcoming state capital Amaravati.

The state government is currently studying the feasibility of the project and if introduced, the 40 km distance between the two cities can be covered in just six minutes.

Hyperloop Transportation Technologies chairman and co-founder, Bibop Gresta, told reporters on the sidelines of the ongoing CII Partnership Summit here that the technology has the potential to transform the mass transportation system in the country.

Hyperloop, an idea originally floated by Tesla CEO and SpaceX Founder Elon Musk, involves a futuristic and technology-intensive transportation system that propels a pod-like vehicle through a near-vacuum tube at nearly 1,100 km per hour.

The Los Angeles-based company "Hyperloop One" announced a proposal in March last year to evaluate construction of five Hyperloop lines in India. The five proposed lines include Bengaluru to Chennai, Mumbai to Chennai via Bengaluru, Bengaluru to Thiruvananthapuram, Mumbai to Delhi and Mumbai to Kolkata.

If the Hyperloop line is completed, people can travel from Bengaluru to Chennai in 20 minutes. The 1,102 km Mumbai to Chennai via Bengaluru line will cover the distance in 50 minutes.

Gresta claims that their technology is radically different from the existing ones. "Our system uses a combination of renewable energy to generate more electricity than it consumes. This ensures affordable cost of construction and maintenance. The capsule can move at a very high speed consuming very little energy, making the system highly efficient," he said.

Last year, the AP Economic Development Board (AP-EDB) and US-based Hyperloop Transportation Technologies (HTT) had signed an Mo). The government had announced that it will study the feasibility of the project.

"Once that is done and if the Chief Minister gives us the go-ahead, we will be ready to roll out the project," Gresta said.

He is confident that they can complete the project in four to five years.

He believes that Amaravati is the best place to launch the project as it is located on river front and has unique environment.